The Conference of State Parties is an annual event organised by the United Nations. During the Conference, participants discuss the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Participants include representatives of the State Parties (countries and regional organisations that ratified the Convention), civil society organisations (such as organisations of persons with disabilities) and disability rights experts (such as the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities and academics).

The 19th session of the Conference of State Parties to the UN CRPD (COSP19) will take place from 9-11 June 2026 in New York. The overarching theme is “CRPD at 20: celebrating and consolidating achievements and shaping the next phase of implementation in a changing world’

Three subthemes:

•  Creating a world free from exploitation, violence and abuse for all persons with disabilities
• Resilient societies: strengthening care and support systems to ensure the empowerment, autonomy and independence of all persons with disabilities
• From participation to representation: enhancing accessible civic engagement, leadership and advocacy in political and public life.

If you are attending the COSP in person and want to know who else is attending and be connected with other civil society organisations, share your details!

The Civil Society Coordination Mechanism, which is facilitated by the International Disability Alliance, hosts a Civil Society Forum, as an addition to the COSP19, as an opportunity to amplify the voice and facilitate adequate and active participation of persons with disabilities. 

The Forum will be held on Monday 8 June. 

The Civil Society Forum will adopt a “People’s Assembly” format. Following a brief opening segment, four substantive sessions will be convened, each focused on a specific theme. Three sessions will align with the sub themes of COSP, while the fourth will address the overarching theme of the 20th anniversary of the CRPD, incorporating broader United Nations reform processes.

Each session will begin with the moderator providing a concise overview of the topic. The moderator will then invite pre-selected organizations to deliver a three-minute statement, presentation, or call to action relevant to the session theme. The final 15 minutes of each session will be reserved for interventions from the floor. These contributions will be limited to one-minute reflections directly related to the discussion. 

At the conclusion of the Forum, a Civil Society statement will be issued, reflecting the key themes and outcomes of the day’s discussions.

The language of the Civil Society Forum will be in English only. International Sign and Captioning will be provided.